Quality Assessment and Improvement
Since its inception in 1995, The Center for School Mental Health (CSMH) has had a major focus on school mental health quality, and for the past two years has been working to develop a set of 10 principles and corresponding quality indicators reflecting the vision of best practice for the expanded school mental health (ESMH) field (see below). Through a survey and interactive forums with school health, mental health, and education staff nationwide, the principles and quality indicators have been refined and a quality assessment and improvement (QAI) intervention based on them has been developed. The CSMH, in collaboration with the Dallas Independent School District, Christiana Care Visiting Nurses Association, and the University of Maryland School Mental Health Program, is currently conducting a study to evaluate the QAI intervention and to improve the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of services provided by clinicians in school mental health. The study is being funded by the National Institute on Mental Health. Training for this project will begin late spring or early summer, and the project will begin formally at the beginning of the 2004-05 school year. Principles for Expanded School Mental Health Principle 1: All youth and families are able to access appropriate care regardless of their ability to pay. Principle 2: Programs are implemented to address needs and strengthen assets for students, families, schools, and communities. Principle 3: Programs and services focus on reducing barriers to development and learning, are student and family friendly, and are based on evidence of positive impact. Principle 4: Students, families, teachers and other important groups are actively involved in the program's development, oversight, evaluation, and continuous improvement. Principle 5: Quality assessment and improvement activities continually guide and provide feedback to the program. Principle 6: A continuum of care is provided, including school-wide mental health promotion, early intervention, and treatment. Principle 7: Staff hold to high ethical standards, are committed to children, adolescents, and families, and display an energetic, flexible, responsive, and proactive style in delivering services. Principle 8: Staff are respectful of and competently address developmental, cultural, and personal differences among students, families, and staff. Principle 9: Staff build and maintain strong relationships with other mental health and health providers and educators in the school, and a theme of interdisciplinary collaboration characterizes all efforts. Principle 10: Mental health programs in the school are coordinated with related programs in other community settings. |  |
